ROANOKE, Va. – Some of the best school bus drivers from across the Commonwealth are in the Star City as the Virginia Association for Pupil Transportation Conference continues.
On Monday, the best drivers from each school district showed off their skills, taking on challenges like parallel parking, backing into an alley and driving through a roundabout.
It's a challenge that shows just how important these drivers and their skills are to communities across Virginia.
"A lot of people think that you hire a bus driver and they get behind the wheel of the bus and start driving," says Mike Stovall, supervisor of transportation for Roanoke County Schools. "These are the professionals. These are the elite drivers and there are the people that can truly manage driving a school bus while having 50 to 60 kids behind them, and managing the discipline in that as well."
Winners will go on to compete in a national competition.
The conference continues through Thursday afternoon.